Infatuated (Unedited)

Chapter 22

"Ma'am please, I don't want to check the book out. I just need to--"

"There is no such book and if there were I'm sure it would be in a Museum."

My ears perked hearing her say that with such conviction. "If there is no such book then how do you figure it would be in a Museum?" I watched her stiffen and clench her jaw. She hadn't realized her mistake and now she knew she was caught. Running her fingers along the length of the long graying braid falling over her shoulder she looked to her left, then right, standing and leaned into me.

"That was just a slip of the tongue. There is no Golden Book of Kings." She said slowly as if she were trying to convince herself of that. I wasn't fooled however. If she had not said what she did, the slight trembling of her hands would have been a dead give away.

I leaned in just as much as she did trying to be as intimidating as possible but nice at the same time. "It was a slip of the tongue but it was full of truth." In a split second her eyes flashed just as Roger's had when he first proved to me that he was a wolf and small smile spread across my face. "Look Ma'am, I know you're a wolf and I know the book is real. You're probably under strict orders to deny it but you have my word that I won't tell anyone about the book. I just need to look through it. You can even stay with me while I do it."

She looked a little surprised and actually sniffed the air around me. Her brow rose a little. I started to tell her I was the daughter of one of the councilman but I'm not sure thats something I should be throwing around freely. The woman backed up looking down at her watch then to me nervously. It's pretty late and being a Saturday, that means the Library will be closing soon. I took that as a hint making my way toward the small lounge area and pulled out my notebook. In it I had some of the basic details from my dreams and what I did know about Nicolas. I added Simone's whole name and just because, drew out the small symbol that was beside Nicolas' name along with the claims that the bloodline was no more. I don't know why this was so important to me but I felt it necessary to record that.

When the last few people left the building the woman rounded the high front desk and approached me, nerves obvious and showing through her movements. I stood right away, shoving my books into my bag while she locked the front door. With the same ring of keys, she nodded for me to follow her through the back, up a flight of stairs that led up to a room filled with boxes and had a windowless door in the far right corner. She went straight to it, unlocking it without a second thought but held onto the knob before allowing me in.

"Listen to me carefully, this book is very old and the only in existence as far as I know. The only reason it is here in this Library is because it was found here, packed within a box full of items that belonged to the last King and his Queen. Those items are now on display in the Museum across the street but this book has remained a secret for obvious reasons."

With that she pushed through the door allowing a rush of very cold air to hit us. It was like being inside a refrigerator. The walls were lined with metal doors with locks on each. The white light reminded me of the very lights used in hospitals. The woman sat down her keys to retrieve two pairs of gloves, giving a pair to me as she slipped on the others. She scanned the cases stopping at one that was a few feet away from the door, and twisted the key in the lock. She tugged on the handle pulling the long draw out that held what looked like a silk blanket. It was red with gold trim and fringes just like the cloth that held the ring Nicolas gave to Simone. She placed the bundle down on the metal table carefully unwrapping it with me standing over her shoulder.

I feel like a kid on Christmas day. Like this book holds the final answers to all of this. The book that was uncovered was not at all what I'd expected. It looked old but expensive like it did belong displayed in a Museum. It was brown with gold binding and lettering that spelled out "Libro de los Reyes". Despite the Librarian having main control over the book I couldn't help but trace the letters with my fingers.